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" She was a day tripper,
a one-way ticket, yeah.
It took me so long
to find out,
and I found out. "
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The next morning, I shot my eyes open immediately seeing John straddling over me, his nose nearly touching mine.
How sweet.
I squinted my eyes and sighed.
"G'mornin'." John smiled, resting his head on his hand.
"Oh! ...Yer up?" I asked, with a yawn.
He leaned over to me and kissed my cheek, "Are ye shocked?"
"It's jus that... I'm always the first one up, what kinda alternate universe is this?" I asked, shaking my head.
"The one where ye wake up at..." John checked his watch, "11:28."
My eyes widened, "Shit! H- How?"
John chuckled, "Did ye forget abou' what we did last night, Macca?"
I thought for a moment and then it hit me. I didn't really consider the fact that taking acid can mess with your sleep that much. The experience was enlightening, though. It made me feel like John and I had a deeper connection with one another, having our first psychedelic trip together.
"Right." I nodded, "Do ye have anymore of that stuff?"
"Course, I do. Dunno if or... when we can trip again, though..." John said, rolling off of me. "Was a bit reckless of me to get it in the first place."
"Oh, please, ye and I both know it won't be the last time." I laughed against his shoulder. "It was... definitely something."
"Why did ye even get it? And more importantly, how?!" I asked, sitting up from the pillows.
John scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "Well... it's a lot. First of all, I got it from a man in the saloon. I went back there after ye and that bird went and got tea." John explained.
"And why, exactly?" I asked, leaning closer to the boy.
"That's the kicker." He chuckled.
"Tell me, Johnny." I asked nicely.
He sighed and recollected his thoughts and words together, "I... I was jealous. And quite bored."
"What?! Really?! No! I would've never guessed! 'Specially after ye told Linda ye and I sleep together." I joked.
"What?! I would never!" John furrowed his brows.
"Well, ye did. Ask her yerself." I laughed.
"I- Whatever. Anyroad, I was jealous and needed something to forget abou' the fact ye were out wi' a bird. Even if it was all friendly, it still hurt me a tad, Macca." John sighed, staring down at the foot of the bed. "I know it's stupid of me to be jealous over something so small, but I couldn't help it."
"John... I'm so sorry, love, I didn't know it was this serious. I knew ye were a tad jealous, but I didn't think much of it. Ye should've told me abou' yer feelings." I wrapped my arms around his torso and kissed his cheek. "If I knew ye were hurting so bad, I would've told her to take a hike!"
"I know that, Macca, but I jus couldn't. Ye'd be so worried! ...So, I bought acid from that guy... and... and I went home - The rest is history." John said, reclining back into the bed. "S'not exactly my proudest moment, ye know? It's also quite hard to remember every little detail, anyroad."
I sighed and rested on his neck, looking up at his eyes. I could get lost in them, I swear it.
"Next time someone bothers ye, John, jus tell me. I don't want ye doing anything stupid." I said as I fell deeper into the cuddle.
"Thank ye, Macca. Really." He hugged me before a knock was heard at the door.
"It's unlocked!" I shouted.
The door knob turned open and George and Ringo turned to see us cuddling on the bed.
"Aw, Georgie, would ye look at that." Ringo smiled.
"So cute!" George smiled, resting his head in his hand.
"Shut up!" John laughed.
"Anyroad, Bri wants to meet us in his hotel room in jus a bit to discuss the release of our newest album." George announced, "Or would ye two rather sleep all day?"
I rolled my eyes and sat up, "We'll be there! What time?"
"Eh... 2:00?" Ringo said.
"Alright." I nodded, "Sounds well and good."
George grabbed Ringo's hand and gave him a knowing look.
Ringo nodded back and turned to us, "We best be goin' now, then. See ye lads later."
John scoffed, "So, what was that all abou'? Them leavin' so quick?"
"It's Ringo and George. Who knows!" I rolled my eyes.
"But did ye see that look? I've given you that look." John pointed out.
"Ye don't think that they're..?" I wondered aloud.
In sync, John and I both scoffed, "Neh..."
We got showered and prepped for the meeting at Brian's hotel room in our suits with ties.
"Even at these stupid band meetings, we gotta wear these monkey suits?!" John asked, adjusting his tie in the mirror.
I was taking a comb through my gelled up hair, "Yep. Everyday!"
"Unnecessary, innit?" John asked.
"I mean, it must be workin'. Look how far we've come!" I said, turning to John.
"For some reason, I feel like it may be more than jus the suits that got us here." John said as he put his brown blazer on. "Could be wrong, though... Christ, Paulie, this jacket's gorgeous."
Just then, our hotel phone began ringing off the hook. Somehow, I knew exactly who it was.
"John, ye go along wi' out me, I'll catch up." I nodded him off.
"Ye sure?" John asked warily.
"Course." I smiled, he kissed my cheek and then left the hotel.
I went back to the phone and picked it up, slowly moving it to my ear.
"Ello?" I called out.
"Paul." Linda's voice sighed with relief.
"G'mornin', Linda, how're ye?" I asked.
She sighed, "Paul... why did you not tell me about John?" She asked me solemnly.
I stayed silent for a moment, "Linda, if the public found out - we'd be over. The Beatles would be history."
"I'd never tell a soul! You're my friend, Paulie! Even if I do have some... feelings for you." She assured me. "Eh, I'll get over it."
"Thank ye, Linda, that means the world to me." I smiled.
"Please, just be honest with your friends and all... no one is gonna hurt you two if they truly care." Linda said in a frilly tone.
I checked the clock on the nightstand, "Ey, Linda? Let's continue this conversation later... I've gotta meet the others at Brian's, now. Oh! And by the way, John isn't usually... that erm... eccentric, but when ye and I got back to the room... he was actually trippin' on acid."
"Acid. That's... quite the summary, Paul." Linda chuckled.
"Anyroad, thank ye for callin'."
We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone.
I strutted down the street and met John infront of the large hotel building that Brian was staying at.
He waited for me.
How Sweet.
"We oughta go up, now." John pointed out. "Been waitin' for ye for ages." John smirked, elbowing my side. "I suppose yer worth the wait, though."
I looked up into his charming eyes, "Yer right, let's go, Johnny."
And with that, we headed upstairs.
"Ello, ello?" John asked, knocking his knuckles against the door.
Brian opened it and welcomed us in, "Hello, boys, come in come in! We've got plenty to discuss."
I nodded and thanked the man as I stepped inside. George and Ringo were chatting next to eachother on the floor, sipping beers.
"Help yerselves to the freezer behind ye! Plenty of booze to go 'round." Brian pointed out.
John turned around and got a can for himself and one me.
"Thanks, Johnny." I said, cracking open the can.
"So. The album Beatles For Sale is nearly complete, yeah?" Brian started off the conversation.
"It is." Ringo agreed.
"Well, i'm hopin' to have ye guys release it by early August. Dependin' on how this tour lays out, the time we have in the studio... all that fun stuff." Brian said, jotting notes down into a journal.
"Right, that seems reasonable, Bri." George chimed in, sipping off his can.
Hours passed and we discuss which songs to put on the album and in what order. Brian planned to schedule a time for us to perform in a studio in the next month or so.
Hopefully, we could have this all set up with no accidents or problems.
Throughout the night, every now and then i'd remember the fact that Brian had no clue John and I were a couple. He was totally oblivious! It was kind of sad and annoying that I couldn't truly be myself around the lad, being I couldn't be touchy with John.
I want to tell him, but I know what I'd be risking.
Well, I have a few beers in me. What could go wrong?
"Ey, Bri." I spoke up, setting my can down on the wooden table.
"What is it, Paul?" Brian asked, looking up from writing in his journal.
"We've got somethin' we think ye oughta know." I said, looking at John. "With ye bein' our manager, and all."
John pursed his lips awkwardly and looked down at the floor, I looked over at George and Ringo to see if I had their approval to tell. George looked a little wary, but Ringo nodded.
"John and I... we're not jus... good friends." I admitted, "We have been dating for... years, now."
Brian stopped writing and sat his pen down on the table, "Really, now? Years?"
I looked over at John and he nodded.
"That's rich. I woulda thought George and Ringo were a couple before ye two lads!" Brian laughed.
"What?!" George and Ringo both shouted in unison, their faces turned a light shade of pink as they scooted away from eachother.
"We're not a couple!" Ringo assured us.
"Yeah, no... Ringo yer a great man and all, please don't take any offense to this, but ye'd have to be... really great... in order for me to date a bloke." George reiterated.
"Yer not exactly wi' birds, either..." John joked, setting his beer down.
George rolled his eyes.
Brian leaned closer to John and I, "Liars, they are. Liars!"
"C'mon, I don't see it, Bri." I chuckled.
"It's 'cause ye two are so stuck up yer own arses, ye don't see how close those two are, huh?"
"Brian!" John shouted.
The rest of the night was spent writing down plans for the next album and finishing up song lyrics to songs we started, but never finished. George and Ringo sent eachother worried looks everytime Brian made a joke about them, but we all laughed it off in the end.
"By the way, lads, ye know i'm literally gay, right?" Brian announced.